Of Lies and Fantasies
by XtremeManiac33
Summary: When you find yourself in a world that is different than your own, what is the first thing you do? Make a cover story and try to fit in, of course. Simple. Now you join the main characters until you find your way home. That's actually easier said than done. SI with a few OCs.
1. What Happens When You Complain

_A/N: So after a lot of time, I am now back with something I've been working on for months. I've lost steam from _Trust in Him_ and I found it hard to write the next chapter for it. While I've been wallowing in writer's block for TiH, I made it a point to do something on the side. That thing on the side is this._

Of Lies and Fantasies_ is an SI I've been writing for a long time now. This dates back to the first time I uploaded my first SI attempt on Final Fantasy IX called _Fiction Project Chronicles _(that one has been deleted as you can see in my Stories section, but I have an archived copy in my computer). I've reworked some of the things I've done on FPC and this is the result. The reason why I haven't uploaded anything from _Of Lies and Fantasies_ is because I'm worried of the reception I'll get from it. Now I've managed to steel my nerves (and edit some of the first chapter) and uploaded the first one._

_I'll upload the the second chapter in a few days._

Of Lies and Fantasies  
Prologue: What Happens When You Complain About The Rain

You guys know how most people spend their summer vacations, right? Most people chill at home, lounge right in front of the TV and indulge themselves in all sorts of junk food. Sometimes, they would go to the mall, or other places located publicly, and hang out with their friends. Mine is somewhat different. If I could I'd write a book on how to correctly spend your summer vacation, but seeing that I lack the professional skills for such a thing I'd rather keep it to myself.

Let me tell you about myself before this story goes on. My name is Blake Skylark, I am the youngest of my family and I still go to school as a 7th grader with no goals extending to the far future. My most telling characteristic is that I have the rottenest of lucks in human history. I even have a broken right hand to prove it. My luck is worse than that woman who was the first to be hit by a meteorite, even worse than the guy who got struck by lightning seven times, and EVEN worse than the guy who happened to be in the same place when the atomic bomb was dropped.

TWICE.

Anyway, back to the story. Summer vacation just began a few weeks ago and I spent it the way any normal teenager would: sleeping. I was catching up on my sleep, something I needed after the very stressful year I just had. Said stress was attributed to my downfallen luck, as always.

I was awakened by a knock on my door. It happened when the afternoon sky started to seep into the horizon, meaning I was asleep for most of the day.

"What?" I groaned through my pillow.

"Are you ready?" The voice that spoke through the door sounded somewhat annoyed.

"Ready for what?"

"For the surprise trip." What surprise trip?

I only rolled in bed, putting my back towards the door. My silence somewhat hinted what the voice's suspicions were, so only a confirmation would suffice. The next thing I know, the door to my room opened and a slim figure walked in with her hands at her hips:

My older sister, Nina.

"I could see that you're beyond ready." She sighed as she shook her head at me. I tried to pull my bed's covers up to my head and continue sleeping, but my sister was determined to pull me out of bed even if it meant physically touching me.

"Leave me alone." I said upon my bedsheets being pulled away from me by my sister.

"You have to get ready now or you're going to be running around the house tomorrow, scrambling to get everything done." My big sister warned.

"Then I'll scramble tomorrow." I replied after I put myself underneath the protective covering of my bedsheets once again.

She could only sigh once again before exiting my room, only to come back in with a bag on wheels and placed it right beside my bed before leaving again. Once I was sure that she wasn't coming back in again, I pushed the covers away and sat up. I was now fully awake since I was disturbed from my slumber. Plus, the itch underneath my right hand's cast was starting to annoy me.

The trip she mentioned had been offhandedly spoken about here and there in the span of a week. Nothing had been revealed about it aside from it being a surprise and that it included friends. I was invited to it, unfortunately for me. Sometimes, Nina would talk about it on the phone with her friends, often excitedly from how it sounds. Guess they were looking forward to it.

I decided to humor my sister by pulling some clothes out of my closet to put in my bag. These included some shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, socks; the basic clothing needs of someone engaging in an event that needed them to be outdoors.

With no helpful knowledge about this trip, I went around my room and gathered my needed belongings that helps avoid boredom: PSP, MP3, and cell phone. While I did this, I noticed the mess that could be identified as my room.

Clothes sprawled on the floor, wires of phone and MP3 chargers tangled up all around my computer desk, PS1 and PS2 controller wires caught up with my Xbox 360 headset that made a bigger mess. Of course, my bed, which was occupied by me just a few seconds ago, looked like a tornado barreled over it. My room looked like a disaster area, one that hasn't been quarantined yet.

"I'll clean that up later." And by later I mean after I get home from the trip. I plugged in my three electronic devices, which took a while to do because they were all knotted up in a big ball of wires, and spent the rest of day trying to figure out what to do.

Going out of the house was out of the question. I was beyond ready. I just got out of bed and the day was already in the afternoon. It would be dark by the time I get to someplace interesting. Staying indoors would be the most ideal idea I could come up with. But that still left me with nothing to do.

Playing videogames would probably suffice. Xbox 360? My friends would probably be online at this time, but I really don't want to bombard my ears with explosions and mindless chatter from underdeveloped beings called pre-pubescent children. PS2? The only games I play there are Kingdom Hearts and Persona 4. Dungeon crawling and level grinding is not the most ideal way to start your day. PS1? Hmm… Maybe we can do something with that.

Opening the lid of the console, I was greeted by a game that I haven't seen in a while: Final Fantasy IX, disc 2 to be exact. Huh. When was the last time I played this? Probably sometime in the previous week. I know I've played this to death long ago, but I don't feel like playing this today. Well, good-bye FFIX, hello Tetris Plus. I chucked the disc over my shoulder and popped in my chosen game, then played it.

Over the course of the next 12 hours, I played various games, changed consoles, went up in the internet and downloaded some videos, ate, noisily tapped the keys on our family piano – to my sister's annoyance— and wandered around the dark hallways of my house. Overall, I stayed up all night after a lengthy sleep. Take a guess what happened next.

I was yawning, eyes ready to drop, the feeling of exhaustion trying to overwhelm me and I was being forced to wait outside of my house. Dressed in a white collared long sleeved shirt, black vest, red tie, dark brown jacket and blue jeans; I looked like a door-to-door salesman who was just notified that he got the boot.

"If you sleep right now it'll be impossible for me to wake you up." Nina said as she locked the door behind her, her bag packed with her necessities standing right beside her. I was leaning on mine, struggling to stay awake. "At least you packed."

"Ain't that a great accomplishment." I yawned. Sitting on the welcome doormat was the closest thing I could get as a bed with my tall rolling bag as my pillow. I tried napping there with the cold winds of dawn blowing over me. At least my jacket helped warm me up.

I could hear Nina's heels pace in front of me, her fingers constantly connecting with the dial pad on that old phone of hers, her words variably consisting of "Where are they?" and "What's taking them so long?" I was too busy staying awake to mind her.

While she was still busy checking her phone, I heard a very distant screeching of wheels as I tried nodding off. Was this our ride? Turns out it was. Nina was somewhat excited to see a seemingly familiar vehicle turn to our street. It was a big, white SUV, and weirdly enough, it was flashing its headlights as if sending a signal. It could probably fit eight people in. The car stopped in front of our house and some of its occupants exited to greet us.

"Sorry for the wait." The girl that exited the passenger's side said. I've seen her before. She's one of Nina's closest friends. "Someone didn't remember to wake up early."

She was referring to the guy who came out of the driver's seat. He was taller than your average person and looked like could swat a flying basketball out of the air. "Maybe next time you drive."

The two girls then chatted, possibly regarding the trip we were going to and what route to take. I just muted their voices out as they talked since the last thing I wanted to do was listen in on whatever they are talking about. God knows that every conversation girls have has something to do about accessories, hot fashion trends and the latest hunk of the day.

Anyways, all I wanted was to fall asleep somewhere soft and cozy and drown out the girl talk with an orchestra. I dragged my bag towards the car, making the large man look at me. "Hey. You Nina's brother?"

"Yes." I didn't know the guy, but if he wants to make small talk then I'll indulge in a bit of small talk. "Blake Skylark."

"Lionel Stanton." We shook hands. Actually calling his hands 'hands' would not justify the size of those things. "Have I seen you before?" I could only shrug my shoulders. A lot of people see other people, even if they are not paying attention. "Anyway, nice to meet you."

Lionel was, like me, not looking forward to this trip. His girlfriend, who I assume was the girl talking with Nina, notified him of his role in this trip as the designated driver just a few days ago. This only happened because he had a big car. And he tells me that he had planned to surprise his parents with a visit that would take him a day's drive. Poor guy. At least his parents were always home.

As we conversed, the door of the other passengers opened and out came three more people. One was a kid with a PSP in his hands, the other was a brown-haired girl I didn't know, and the last one was someone I actually knew. "Dude!"

That was a friendly signal. I popped my head around the car and saw him. Andrew King, my best friend. "Over here." I raised my hand as I walked up to him with my bag rolling behind me. "Don't be so loud or you'll wake up the neighbors."

"Well, you can't start your day without WAKING UP!" If you needed more indication, he yelled out those last two words, making the others on our yard look at him. I palmed my face in embarrassment. "So, how's it been dude? Haven't seen you in days."

"Isn't that the purpose of summer vacation? You don't get to see your friends." I deadpanned.

"Aw, c'mon." He then wrapped one arm around my shoulders forcefully, almost sending me toppling down to the grass, but good thing he had a grip on my shoulders. "Without me, you won't last a day."

"And what do you call what I've been doing for the past few weeks?" Andrew only chuckled at my question. He was always like that, being the guy who enjoys spending his time with friends, maybe a bit too much.

During the times this trip was mentioned to me, I was told to invite some friends that could come along. Only one was available. The others had other pressing issues to deal with, which were none of my business. Andrew agreed to come along. He was always available.

"Quite a car, eh?" Andrew was always interested in cars. He liked that British show Top Gear and that sparked his interest. Me? Not a big fan. I could only shrug in indifference.

"Speaking of car, what do you think of the people you rode with?" We both didn't know who these people were, so any information I could get from my friend, who at least spent some time with them during their drive here, would do me a big help. How? Well, for starters I don't want to get on their bad sides.

Andrew leaned towards me, trying to act secretively as if he's telling me something he didn't want the others to hear. "First off, the driver." Lionel. "He's pretty calm. Mellow dude, even when he was getting grilled by that redhead over there." He must be talking about the first girl. Note to self: Stay away from her.

"Go on."

"The kid's quiet. He thoroughly enjoys his games. Not a very chatty kid." I could tell. He's very much immersed in his PSP. "She's very friendly." Andrew pointed to the other girl. "We talked for quite a while. I'm sure I could get a date if I tried."

"Anything else?"

"One more thing. There was a guy snoozing on the back. Loudly, I might add." And with that, the briefing was finished. There was only one person, two if I count the sleeping guy, which I need to look out for or possibly stay away from. You don't know if or when they'll—

"HEY! ARE WE LEAVING OR WHAT!?"

…explode.

That was from the last person to come out of the car. He had bed hair, despite sleeping in the car, and looked horrible. Someone really needs to hose him down. I could tell that his behavior isn't getting any rave reviews from the others; even the kid looked up from his game, rolled his eyes, shook his head in disgust and went back to playing. I am going on a limb here and guess that they are related.

"Don't worry about him." The friendly girl Andrew was talking about must've seen my terrified-for-a-moment expression when Mr. Personality here popped out, so she came up to us and offered us some reassuring words. "He's harmless."

"If you say so." I'll call her out on it immediately if it turns out she's wrong.

Soon enough, Nina announced that it was time to leave. Lionel helped us load the bags into the car and we were placed into our seats. The car was able to fit eight people, two in the front and six at the back. That was unless the passengers were uber-thin, then we could fit eight in the back.

Lionel stayed up in front with the newly awakened passenger named Ramon. Nina, Lionel's girlfriend Miranda, and the kid named Zack sat in the middle. Andrew, the friendly girl named Alyssa and I were placed at the back. It was a good thing I was sitting near a window. The bad news was I had this totally unknown girl next to me. Well at least I had some sort of entertainment on me with my mp3 and PSP.

That was my plan until she started talking to me.

"What happened to your hand?"

Oh that. She pointed to my cast-wrapped right hand. My drowsiness must have made me forget about it. "It's broken."

"I could see that."

"I didn't mean to insult your skills of observation. And it's actually the wrist that's broken."

"How did it happen?"

It was one of those days. I removed my earphones and began telling her the story. "I was the water boy at a basketball game just a month ago—"

"He just signed up on that day." Andrew interrupted.

"Thanks for the input, Andrew," I looked over to him and see him smiling. "Anyway—"

"It was my idea."

"Thank you, _Andrew_." There was more force in my voice as I gave him a look. "So, the game was at the school of the other team. Our team was struggling to get the lead in the third quarter because of one of the other team's key players, a very big guy, good defender and quick for his size. They can't get through him and they were getting desperate. During one of the plays, one of the guys plows through one of the other team's and a foul wasn't called. This sparked a fight between the two and the rest of both teams had to separate them."

"Wow." Alyssa was obviously getting hooked into the story.

"If that wasn't enough, the crowd got riled up and went crazy. They basically rioted. I got caught up in the chaos that I didn't notice the hulking center of the home team lift me up and threw me. I landed badly, heard the crack, and wailed like a child."

"So that's where I recognized you!" I hear Lionel say from the front of the vehicle. "I play for the team, man. You were the wailing waterboy with the messed up wrist that had to be helped out." Great, I've been recognized. You know you don't have it made when you're recognized as 'the wailing waterboy'.

I heard Andrew chuckling on his side of the car. When asked what was funny, he said, "It kinda sounds like a joke, until you see the cast."

"Why would someone just throw another person?" The girl asked.

"I dunno. Must be the steroids they were feeding him affecting his brain functions." Now that was an appropriate time to chuckle, or even laugh, which Alyssa did.

"I think I've heard of that thing before. Probably from the school newspaper."

"Hmm. Probably…" And that was where the drowsiness hit. I excused myself from the conversation, put my earphones on and slept with a soft lullaby playing on repeat.

Over the course of a few hours, the car maintained a fast pace in the highway we were traveling on. I would wake up a few times, seeing the terrain change from about 8 lanes of asphalt to four with a number of farms in the background to a bushy forest-esque place. We stopped once at a rest stop due to the insistent requests of Ramon, who failed to empty his bladder before the start of this trip. There we stocked up on food and gas and continued down the road.

The others were quite chatty and loud as the trip went on. I could hear laughing, stories being shared and various conversation topics discussed between them as I continuously drifted between consciousness and dreamland. Andrew could be heard telling jokes amongst the people we barely knew, Miranda dishing some dirt on her professors, Lionel sharing some of his personal experience in basketball and Ramon recalling one of his pranks. So he's a prankster, eh?

Flat asphalt was replaced with bumpy roads that probably have not been repaired for years. A bump in the road sent me flying making my head hit the roof. It was funny for a moment, until it happened to Ramon, who told everyone else put to on their seatbelts. Soon enough, we got out of Bumpy City and into a much better road.

Time passed while I enjoyed what sleep I could get. Maybe it was a good decision for me to stay up all night. I know I don't enjoy long drives in a car filled with people, especially if I knew more about them than my sister, which amounts to the equal space in a brochure. Andrew enjoys a situation like this, not me. I often wonder why he still hangs around me.

But despite all of that, I have this little bit of hope in me that I would enjoy this place we were going; A small part of me wants this thing to be something I'll like.

Nobody has said a word about it while I was awake. Perhaps only a few people here know about it. If it's a surprise to all of us, then I hope it'll be a good one.

"Whoa!"

The word echoed as the car suddenly went from a leisurely drive a la Jeremy Clarkson to James May levels of slowness. I jolted awake as the driver apologized for almost giving everyone whiplash.

"We're almost there. Just a few more minutes." That was Ramon sounding excited. Some of the passengers also shared his sentiments. Zack even took a glance of the road ahead of us.

"Hey," Andrew looked like he heard someone kick a puppy. "Whatever you do, keep calm."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Trust me. Just enjoy today like it was the first time you started living. Calm and easy..."

As Andrew rambled on, I looked over to Alyssa and see her shaking her head looking somewhat uncomfortable. What is happening? I look over to the middle, where I had a clear view of where we were going. As soon as my eyes managed to send the visual signal to my brain, they widened in both surprise and anger.

And with that, the little hope of me enjoying this trip died.

It was a beach. The sun, some sand and salty ocean water; filled with people playing around in the skimpiest of attires just to show off their attractive assets or to cool off in the sea in a warm day like this because they can't afford a swimming pool. I just realized it at that moment that that was the destination. It was the last place I wanted to be in.

"Alright! Time to get wet!" Funny, I can't do that. I was morally obligated to avoid such a scenario because of the contract I signed with my broken right wrist.

The car was then parked and everyone got off in a can't-wait-to-make-sand-angels manner that they almost tripped over each other. I was the only one who didn't want to get out of the car.

"Hey," I looked to the door and saw Alyssa of all people trying to get me out of this car. "You alright?"

"Does it look like I'm alright? Right now, I'm as offended as Napoleon being called short."

"He IS short."

"Shorter than the guys he was painted with!" My voice rose over such a trivial thing. "I'm gonna call for a cab, give the driver a hundred bucks and tell him to get me away from here."

Alyssa climbed into the car after I said that. Andrew was right behind her, but he didn't get in. "C'mon, you don't have to mope in here just because you can't swim."

"Yeah." Andrew said from outside. "You can do it in your room in there." He pointed to the small structure everyone else was going to.

"I'm _so_ glad you're helping." I said sarcastically. "You know, they could have told me that we were going to a beach before we left. I could have stayed at home instead."

"But you wouldn't be having fun if you stayed behind." Alyssa tried to put this whole thing in a positive light, but staying home had a lot of positive possibilities too.

"I'd have TONS of fun. Videogames, internet, cable, house parties, and that's just counting off from one hand." Because I can't count with the other one.

She put her hands on my cast, looked at me with convincing determination and said, "I once met a guy in one of my karate classes. He had a younger brother who was crippled because of a robbery-gone-wrong."

"And he took up defense classes so it never happens to him." I interrupted her, hoping that the clichéd story ends there.

"No, that's not the point. The point is, the younger brother moved on in regards to his injury. He didn't let it hinder him from doing anything like participating in special marathons, sky diving, and going to the beach." I'm pretty sure she just put that last one to encourage me. And it was working.

"Is there a slight chance that this 'younger brother' had a broken hand?"

"He's paralyzed from the waist down." Well that was depressing to hear.

All of us were silent for a moment, contemplating about this younger brother and his horrible condition and how I didn't need to know about it. "And what do you get out of this?" I broke the silence with a question.

"It kinda makes me happy to help people out." She smiled. "Now come on. Do you still want to call that cab?"

"No." I scoffed. "I'm not gonna let a kid in a wheelchair show me up." With that, the two of us got out of the SUV and on to the sand. Just the feeling of sand underneath my shoes made me feel uneasy, with the ocean as a backdrop was not making it better. The cheerfulness of the others was not making it better.

Even as I walk on this grainy surface, I feel that nothing could insult me more than an invitation to swim. Unless they were blind or stupid, they should avoid saying that to someone with a cast. Hell, any person in a cast should never be near any body of water ever. My blood is still boiling that I could tell.

"Is he alright?" I heard a soft voice speak beside us. It was Zack, the PSP playing kid. What does he mean by that? I don't have anything against water; I just don't want it on me.

"Nothing short of traumatized." Alyssa jokingly responded.

Zack pressed most of his hand on his face upon hearing this and sighed. "My brother thought this would be funny." Who? "My brother, Ramon." He pointed to the teenager cracking jokes with Nina and Lionel, who weren't sharing his sense of humor.

"Your brother is an ass." Well said, Alyssa. Even Zack agrees.

Well, at least I know now who did it. I couldn't do anything to him now, but let's just save that in the 'grudge corner' and schedule my revenge soon. Before I could start on that, Nina and Lionel began telling us that they divided the group into two because there were two rooms available for us. Lionel, Miranda, Ramon and Nina were going stay in one room while the rest, meaning me, Alyssa, Andrew and Zack, were occupying the other.

"And get comfy. We'll be here for three days, so you guys better find your sleeping space." Three days? This is worse. "Our other friends will be arriving soon and we'll fit some of them in if there's space." Someone just push me into the sea and let me drown. I just want to be out of here.

Settling down on the white-sheet covered bed in the room I was assigned, I found it hard not to think about the ocean when it's just half a mile away outside. Andrew, Zack and Alyssa dropped their bags right beside the bed and took a look around of the room. It wasn't bad looking. Decorated with sea shells and painted with an underwater theme, the room was hospitable and spacious. There was a bed opposite to the front door and porch and a TV set the size of an average computer monitor. The bathroom connected our room with the other room, which was a good idea to put one big set of people under one roof in two rooms. It's only bad news when one of each other's groups had to use the bathroom. Something that came as a surprise to me was that we had an air-conditioned room.

It seems like I'm drowning already.

Andrew commented about the room's interior design, which made me want to sock him with my casted right hand. At least the bed didn't have water in it; the only saving grace of this below-average room.

"Dibs on the bed!" Zack and Andrew almost declared simultaneously. They both barely missed me as they dived onto the bed and sighed relaxingly with their faces snuggling with the pillows. Hearing such jolliness right now was grating.

"You can fit three people here, you know." Andrew informed me.

"If you don't mind the sausage-fest, then I'll be the third." I said while I stood near the foot of the bed.

"Sausage-fest?" Bless your innocent mind, Zack. Good thing your brother has not yet corrupted your soul.

"Where am I going to sleep? On the floor?" Alyssa reacted negatively to our agreement.

"Yes." The three of us said; mine sounding monotone compared to the two's response. Obviously, she disagreed, and she made it evident by mumbling something about children.

The first hour of our first day there consisted of us lounging around and resting, the latter we deserved more after being on the road for hours. Everyone in the room I was in was busy rearranging the insides of their bags, checking if they did bring what they needed. You know things like sunscreen, goggles, the upper half of their bikini. I know there was one thing I didn't bring with me: my swimming shorts.

Yes, I'm still butt hurt about being in a beach. I know I sound like a dope complaining about something he didn't order for. If I was of age, I'd drink my sorrows away like any other average human being with a problem. Actually, I am, but that's not the point.

As time passed, I noticed that the sky was getting darker. Strange, because last night the weather man said that it would be sunny all day today. There weren't much clouds forming earlier too. Some of the people hanging around the beach noticed it too and decided to call it a day. Ramon noticed it too, pointing it out that they should go swimming while few of the visitors were leaving. There were about to agree, until the Chinese food arrived.

"Sweet!" I heard Lionel's voice from the other room declare. Without missing a beat, Andrew and his always empty stomach rushed out of the door to greet the delivery guy and help lighten his load. Everyone was eating their respective box of Chinese food out on the porch, which I was inclined to join because I don't want the room smelling like noodles and chicken dumplings. We took our time with our food with the sole exception of Ramon, who didn't care for basic swimming logic as he raced to the ocean with his small box in hand, ready to swim in his shorts. I heard Miranda call him an idiot under her breath. I once again agree.

I stared into the small container in my hands after I was done. It barely had anything in it, just some tiny bits of meat and the often missed noodle in the corner. I had nothing to do but mope around the porch and in my assigned room. That was the plan I had thought of as I disposed of the box, yet that changed when Zack approached me with a big black bag.

"Can you help me with this?" Help with what? "My PS1." Apparently, a small bird told him that I had a PS1 and that certain bird must have suggested that I can help putting it in working order. I only agreed to help him out because, 1) He has a lousy brother, and 2) I had nothing to do.

It took me about 5 minutes to connect the right wires to the TV from the console and insert the controllers on their respective ports. With one press of a button, the Sony Computer Entertainment logo appeared on the screen.

"Thanks." You should be thanking me for not being like your dick of a brother. "Do you want to play?"

"No thanks. I'll just wallow in self-pity over there." I said pointing to the bed. Getting on it and crawling over a magazine reading Andrew, I plopped down on a pillow with a sigh. Also, I kicked Andrew hard enough to send him over the floor. I saw that grin he had on his face and I knew that he was the one who opened his mouth about my owning of a PS1. This sent him into a laughing fit.

"No rough housing, children." Alyssa warned us with a wag of her finger. She was answered by a chorus of 'Yes, Mom'. Alyssa knelt down in front of her bag and grabbed something before excusing herself from the room once again and entered the bathroom.

I was too occupied in my own troubles to comment about this, or too busy suffocating Andrew's laughter with a pillow to even care. Zack didn't notice what was happening behind him as he launched a missile towards Tiny in a game of Crash Team Racing.

"You having fun?" I sarcastically asked Andrew as I forced the pillow on his face.

"More fun than you'll ever have!" That just makes me want to choke you more. "At least I'll be able to enjoy this place even more than you."

"Don't you dare rub it in," I told him, pulling the pillow away from his face, letting him breathe in the sea salt in the air.

"At least you get to spend most of your time in an air conditioned room with a Playstation hooked up to the TV."

"What's 10 feet of space ever good for? Plus, I doubt Zack has any good games."

As if on cue, Zack pushed the bag his PS1 was in earlier towards us and looked over his shoulder. "Here's my games." He nodded, as if answering me unconsciously if I could see what his games were. I opened the bag and found various CD cases with the cover pictures of various games. Zack only brought a few with him, but he sure brought games that would probably last until we leave.

The bad side of this: you could only count the games he brought with one hand. Let's name them, shall we. Crash Team Racing, Spyro: Ripto's Rage, a Tomb Raider game, Final Fantasy IX and Tetris. Okay, you can count the discs with both hands, but the number of games still uses one hand only.

Andrew saw the Final Fantasy IX case and immediately picking it up. "Don't you have a copy of this back home?" I nodded as I looked at the Tomb raider game with interest. "Didn't you play the hell out of that game too?" Another nod from me.

"Really now?" We both turned our heads to the bathroom door and saw Alyssa, who changed into a bikini top and shorts combo. "I used to play Final Fantasy IX too." She rubbed the back of her head, probably thinking why she's the only one who wanted to go for a swim. One moment later, she asks. Her two able-bodied roommates just shrugged while I raised my casted right hand. "Sorry about that."

Sometimes, people are so insensitive to others that they don't know they actually were until you point it out.

"Somehow I find that surprising." I said.

"About what?" Regarding you playing Final Fantasy IX. "Oh that. I used to play it all the time. Finished it about three times; the third being a 100% run."

Who was she trying to impress by saying that? That could only mean you have a lot more free time than most people. If you wanted to impress, then you should have said you did it on Mt. Everest.

"No need to be such a jerk about it." Andrew whispered to me. I think I might have mumbled some of that out loud, but it seems Alyssa didn't hear it as she went for her bag again. "Anyway, I'm gonna get changed too." Now my best friend was leaving me for the ocean. Thanks for being there when I needed you, pal.

With Andrew gone, I tried to entertain myself with some paper I found in a drawer while listening to my mp3. I tried making a crane origami, but my memory failed me and it looked like anything but a crane. Giving up with the origami, my attention now went to my PSP. Hoping that it would at least help me through about two hours, I flicked the switch on and waited for the screen to activate. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. The PSP had been on sleep this entire time on one of the menus in Persona 3 Portable and the battery was dangerously low. Someone had touched my beloved PSP. There was only one culprit.

"ANDREW!" I marched right in front of the bathroom door and proceeded to pound on it. All I heard from the other side were giggles and him trying to calm me down, albeit sounding like he was enjoying what I was doing to the door. Then I heard the door open and some footsteps quickly dashing away. He used the door in the other room and ran out.

"Be careful with that." That was Alyssa. "If you break anything you'll have to pay for it."

I wanted to say that I have enough money to pay for the broken door and buy them a better one, but I didn't feel like answering. Instead, I just plopped back down on the bed and grumbled some very adult words to myself.

"Is he done?" Zack asked me, referring to Andrew's usage of the bathroom. I nodded. He then turned off his game, put the controller down, and took some clothes out of his own bag. Not you too, Zack.

"I'm going to go swimming!" He gleefully declared as he charged into the bathroom. Great. My PSP is nearly dead, my best friend is out somewhere I can't be, and I'm all alone with nothing to entertain me with. I guess I could lull myself to sleep with my mp3, but I've been asleep for most of the trip and I don't even know how long that lasted.

Then an idea popped into my head as I turned my sights to a CD case in one of Zack's bags.

Final Fantasy IX. Maybe I can play it and see where I'll want to go kill myself out of boredom. "Hey Zack!" I made my voice loud enough so Zack can hear me through the door. "Is it okay if I used your Playstation?"

He popped his head out of the bathroom for a moment. With one look towards me he must have seen Final Fantasy IX in my hands and then nodded. "Sure." One second later, he was back in the bathroom.

"Sweetness." I popped in one of the discs, not caring which one it was because I'll be exchanging it for another when I load a save file, and started playing. The solemn title theme greeted me with the company logo before I got to the actual title screen. That song always warms my heart.

When I picked the most recent save file Zack made, he had already managed to clear disc 1 and was starting off in disc 2. Sweet! My favorite part of the game. So after changing discs again, I started off with Steiner in control. I was so busy with the game that I failed to notice Zack exit the bathroom and head off into the beach. Have fun while I'm having fun here.

A half hour, a boss fight and some adventuring in Treno passed and I was still absorbed in the game. Though, I did notice the sky getting darker than before. I'm pretty sure a tiny bit of rain isn't gonna stop any of these beach heads. They'll LOVE it. At least I have a roof over my head.

Then, as I was guiding my characters through Gargan Roo, operating the necessary switches and levers so the Gargant's presence could be summoned, something weird started happening. The TV started emitting this static noise as the visuals started flipping out. The Playstation suddenly shorted out and gave off an electric an electric current that traveled to the controller in my hand.

"Shit! Fuck! Crap!" I cursed a few more times as I began shaking my hands in pain. The hairs on my arms were standing up like crazy. How the hell is that possible!? Are Playstations capable of short circuiting themselves to a point where they shock the player's controller and hands? God, that stings.

I have to let Zack know. It's going to be inevitable for him to know that his Playstation just broke. Better tell him now than later.

"Zack!" I shouted after exiting the cabin room I was in. I spotted the kid on the beach playing with the sand along with his brother. He was trying to build something in the sand, but his jerk of a brother kept kicking at his work while laughing and thinking that he's a comical genius.

The wind outside was blowing a chilly breeze, making me pull my jacket closer to myself. The sky seemed to get darker and darker as time passed. If my prediction that rain is going to fall soon is going to happen, I'd maybe want an umbrella in my hands before I go and tell Zack. Good thing there was one conveniently abandoned on our porch. As soon as I grab it and head towards the beach, a girl— probably Miranda—started shouting about bringing it back after I was done.

"Hey, where are you going?" I passed Alyssa as I made my way towards Zack.

" ,shockedmeandIthinkit'sirreparable." My words came out so fast that Alyssa wasn't able to understand what I was trying to say, but I didn't have time for jibber-jabber. I have to tell Zack before anything else happens.

And then thunder boomed across the sky. I wasn't taking any more chances. I opened the umbrella and made a beeline for the actual owner of the Playstation. Alyssa, concerned or just confused, followed.

"Zack! Your Playstation broke!" I shouted at his direction, hoping that he would hear. What it did do is grab the kid's attention. I could hear him saying 'What?'I wanted to repeat what I just said, but being this close to the ocean was making me uncomfortable. "YOUR PLAYSTATION BROKE!" I pointed to the cabin.

That made Zack abandon what he was doing with his brother and run towards the cabin. Mission accomplished. Now all I need to do is get back indoors before it's too late.

"Hey look, it's raining!" Fuck.

"Mind if I squeeze in here with you? I just dried myself." Alyssa asked as she stepped under the umbrella with me, partially holding onto the umbrella handle and my casted arm. Whatever, as long as I'm dry.

Thunder once again boomed up in the heavens and the rain started intensifying, making me hurry a bit faster, almost leaving Alyssa in the mercy of the raindrops. "Hey wait up."

"I can't wait up. The rain is coming down really hard right now and I DO NOT _WANT_ to be under it." I told her as she caught up. This was not really the place for me. Look at the beach, people dancing under the rain, swimming in the ocean, beach volleyball, and other fun activities. Everyone out here is having a blast and I'm the only one with an umbrella.

"You really don't need to hurry," said the girl trying to squeeze into the space underneath the umbrella. "It's not like you're going to get struck by lightning." The sky above us cracked with thunder just as the wind stared to blow against us. Good thing I managed to hold on to the umbrella so it didn't fly away.

I shook my head at her. She thinks that lightning is the thing I'm worried about. Lightning is the last thing I'm worried about. What I'm worried about is getting wet. I told her this in a mocking tone just to emphasize my point. "Besides, lightning doesn't strike a person in a place like this. People near anything large and metallic or in an open field have more of a chance of getting hit."

Unfortunately, fate seemed to like torturing me because the moment I hear another instant of thunder booming above us, a flash from out of nowhere almost blinds me and I feel this intense sensation on my arm before it instantly coursed through my body like a current powering an electrical device.

Before I even knew it, I was on the ground, blacked out.


	2. The Vast Streets of Alexandria

Of Lies and Fantasies  
Chapter 1: The Vast Streets of Alexandria

"_Oh my gosh, is he okay?" "Should we call for help?" "If he's dead, I get his wallet."_

What the…? What is with the noise?

"_He's moving." "Thank goodness he's okay." "Curses."_

Everyone shut up. I can't think.

"_Maybe he's just asleep." "Like dreaming?" "If he doesn't wake up in the next five seconds, I'll grab any money on him."_

My eyes had a hard time flickering open to the sound of young voices contemplating to either call for help or rob me. I groaned as my vision, still disoriented and blurry, did not do anything to help me identify who were talking. They weren't familiar or anything close to sounding like my sister's companions.

When my eyes did manage to filter out blurriness, I was right in thinking that these people around me were not the ones I knew. They were different. In fact, they were children; Small, bubbly, albeit a little bratty for the last one, little children. Andrew wasn't around, Nina was nowhere in sight and Alyssa cannot be found. Anyone remotely familiar weren't here, even when they saw me get struck by lightning. BY LIGHTNING. Everyone should be concerned when someone gets struck by lightning.

But back to the matter at hand. Where was my best friend? Where was this girl who claimed to finish Final Fantasy IX three times? Where was the only connection I had to a family tree?

More importantly, where was I? This didn't look like the beach, even though I'm kind of thankful to be away from a body of water. This place looked like an ongoing festival of sorts.

"What's going on here?" An aged voice asked behind the group of troublemakers. I was about to ask the same—

Holy shit! He's a fucking hippo!

My surprise came pretty evident to them when I screamed and tried to back away, only to hit a wall of wood. In my panic, I toppled over a wooden stand to my right, making the contents placed on top of it bounce off the ground. Some of them unfortunately broke, though that is not my concern at the moment.

The ground. It wasn't sand shifting underneath my shoes, just hard cobblestone terrain. What is this? What happened? I looked around and saw a lot more of people— not people, but…humanoid animals like the one I first saw. Hippos and elephants and ducks and a bunch more that I cannot identify right now, and they were all walking around with the normal looking people like they actually belong in society.

What kind of backwards reality am I in? Dreamland?

I got up and took a better look. No doubt this wasn't the beach, but where was I? Why were the people like this? Am I in an animal cosplay convention? A stand on my far left had a collection of mirrors, a man right beside it trying to bargain with the passersby loud enough for me to hear. I quickly went towards the guy's stand and looked for a full body mirror, thinking that somebody may have done to me physically.

"Ah, a customer!" The man said with a huge grin on his face. "Might I interest you in some of my mirrors?" I was busy looking at my panicked reflection to care about what he was saying.

Nothing seemed weird with me; Long black hair, that business intern-look-a-like outfit along with the jacket still on me, my right hand cast, my normal looks were all the same. Good. I thought someone may have kidnapped me and left me here with a weird outfit and some markings on my face. You just don't know, man. It may happen to you.

Even with the little feeling of relief, there was still that one lingering question: where was I?

"Where you are right now is the great country of Alexandria," The man selling the mirrors replied.

What?

"Alexandria, alongside her neighboring kingdom of Lindblum, is one of the biggest kingdoms that inhabit the Mist Continent."

… Unbelievable.

"We are currently in the midst of celebrating the 16th birthday of Her Highness, Princess Garnet. Quite an event it will be."

Inconceivable.

"Oh, conceivable it is. The kingdom will no doubt have a grand time alongside Her Highness in her celebration. Now how about I interest you in some of my best mirrors."

What is happening? If that guy is to be believed, this looked like what he described. This is the kingdom of Alexandria, a place that only exists in a virtual world that runs in a video game console with discs. And this guy is telling me that I am in that world, which is not supposed to exist. This isn't real. This isn't supposed to be happening. I think the laws of reality don't apply here anymore.

I must be dreaming, that's the only logical explanation to this. Overexposure to sand and saltwater in a rain storm does that kind of stuff to people. This isn't real. I'm just dreaming. I can still wake up.

"Can you pinch me right on the cheek?" I asked, getting an incredulous look from him as I pointed to my face. This is just a dream. "I really want to wake up now."

"Are you serious, young man?"

"Seriously!"

"People these days," sighed the merchant with a shrug. Without even looking at me, he put out his left hand, used his thumb and index finger to grab a bit of my cheek and pulled harshly.

"OW!" My eyes were starting to fill up with water from the pain, which I tried to blink away furiously. When I managed to get my eyesight to clear, nothing changed. I was still in Alexandria. This is not a dream.

I think I'm going crazy. Oh God, I think I AM crazy.

My knees buckled in shock, my body collapsed until I landed on my bottom on the cobblestone ground. I put a hand, my only capable hand, on my face as tons of passers-by just walked past the teenager having a complete crisis. Yeah, just walk by. Don't worry about the kid that is this close to having an anxiety attack. My face felt like my blood stopped flowing to that particular part of my body. My mind is in a total blank.

"A-are you o-okay?" A stuttering voice asked behind me. It was a kid in clothes almost too big for him with a pointy, yet silly looking, hat.

"I'm fine." I replied, shaking my head. "Having the time of my life." Of course, my current tone and demeanor didn't exactly share my words' meaning.

"Perhaps a seat in the play would lift your spirits." The merchant suggested to me, but I wasn't paying attention. "_I Want To Be Your Canary_, I have seen it multiple times and each time is an experience I cannot forget."

"I'm going to see the play today." The kid said with a rising excitement in his voice.

"Then you should move along. The Ticketmaster should be up in the square." He pointed straight ahead to where most of the people, or humanoid animals, were heading. I could hear the kid walking away to his next destination when his little conversation with the merchant ended. At least that kid was cultured, that young going to a play all by his lonesome…

Wait… Lonesome? Play? Kid? Pointy hat?

That was VIVI! Vivi the freaking black mage.

My head quickly turned to the direction of the black mage so fast I almost got whiplash. Only the tip of his hat could be seen over the crowd that was slowly swallowing him up. I followed him the best that I can in that crowd, which I saw was being led by a horn-carrying duck person. Why was I following him? I don't even know. My mind still cannot comprehend what was happening to me. Maybe my sanity wanted to keep track of something or someone familiar to me even though they are fictional. At least I'm doing something.

I tailed the little black mage as he wade into the crowd of nobles, I managed to get past the crowd with less finesse and a lot of getting hit on the head for being reckless around such a high class community. While I still have him in my sights, my mind suddenly came up with a question: What do I plan to get out of this whole ordeal?

For some reason, I didn't have an answer to that. Sure I get to see the game's events unravel right before my eyes in real time, which is a pretty good thing to happen to me since I'm a big fan of the game, but what do I get out of it?

Before I could think of an answer to this troubling question, I hear some shouting behind me and I managed to lose sight of Vivi. The shouting started to escalate. Some of the people were parting like the red sea as this guy got nearer. Well, whatever. I'm pretty sure some guy here pissed off this guy for no apparent reason and he's looking for some –

"Hey, you! I'm talking to you, you brown rags wearing kid!" Then from out of nowhere, I got grabbed from behind, turned around and lifted up into the air by two huge hands holding onto my collar. "You destroyed my stand, you little shit!"

This guy was a towering figure of humanity. He looks like someone who eats bricks for breakfast and bench presses a minivan just for fun. Seriously, he was five times my size that I cannot even believe to be possible.

"Wha-wha-what?" I managed to stammer out in fear.

"Three kids saw you destroy my stand while I was getting some change. Think I'm just gonna let you waltz around town on two good legs after doing that, huh?" My legs!? Not my legs! I already have a broken hand!

"I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!"

"Begging won't help you, kid." A terrible grin crept on his face as the bystanders only looked on at what would look like a curb-stomp battle between a cripple and Godzilla. Right behind him, I could see the a few female Alexandrian soldiers marching to our general direction, yelling 'Stop what you are doing right now or we will place you under arrest'. Like that was going to stop this guy. "Any last words?"

I actually didn't have one. My mind was too busy looking for a way out. As he was ready to destroy me, pulling back one of his hands and formed a fist, I closed my eyes and did the only thing a desperate man would do: kick someone in the crotch.

One swift kick was all it took as the terrorizing muscleman dropped me and had a twisted look of pain on his face. Without hesitation, I scrambled up to my feet and fled the scene.

"You're not going anywhere!" The man shouted as he got back up, though he was rearranging his set, if you catch my drift, then started running after me.

'_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…'_ That was everything coming through my brain right now. A man with rippling muscles had set his sights on me for unintentionally toppling his stand and I do not know how I'm going to get rid of him. If he gets his clutches on me again, I'm a dead man, and I vehemently do not want to be a dead man.

The streets of the kingdom of Alexandria were much bigger than I have ever imagined. Well, that's what happens when a game only restricts you to only going to places the programmers and developers have put in. I mean, I could see alleyways with dead ends and access to other streets aside from this main street I was running in, intersections and various landmarks that I have never seen before aside from the statue near the gate leading outside the kingdom.

Turning every other street was starting to get to me as my legs were starting to get tired. Not only is that guy still chasing me, but a bunch of Alexandrian soldiers were dispatched, apparently they heard that there was a scuffle between two rowdy individuals happening on the day of Princess Garnet's birthday and they wanted to arrest them for their troubling behavior. Great, just great. I just need to lose 'Hulk' somewhere and the soldiers might be content with just one criminal to arrest, but how?

"Get back here you rag-wearing troublemaker!" He yelled as he pushed people out of his way. That's it! He only identifies me with my jacket. But this jacket is expensive and losing it would just make me feel like I threw away five-hundred bucks. It's either my well-being or my wallet. Crap. Why does this have to be hard? "I AM GOING TO BREAK YOU IN HALF!" That's it, my well-being first.

After turning into a much busier street filled with hoodlums and poor-looking civilians, I just looked for someone who could look like me with my back turned. When I did find someone who kinda had my hair, I quickly took my jacket off and put it on my unwitting body double.

"Hey!" The man shouted after receiving my 'gift'.

"You'll thank me later!" I said before turning into another intersection. God, this place is big. He was probably wondering where this guy came from, but his thoughts changed directions when he was picked off the ground by my previous pursuer.

When I was done putting a few more miles between me and the new crime scene I've properly evaded, I sat down on the corner and gave out a big breath and took in bigger one, but I still wasn't relieved. Sure, I was out of danger for now, yet I was still in a fictional world and was practically lost. Vivi should be at the Ticketmaster by now, but I doubt that he'd still be there if I ever manage to get there. Even if I do accomplish that, then there would be another thing on my mind: How did I get here?

"Psst!" Someone kept making noises directed at me while I was stuck in my own mind. It was an old woman trying to get my attention. From what I could tell, she must have been either poor or a hardened traveler by choice of clothing, which was a long ripped brown coat that hooded her face, a very old looking and aged dress with a white tattered shirt underneath and what appear to be tights for her legs. "Young man, I believe I have something that may interest you."

"Unless it's a time machine, then no you don't have my attention." I grumbled to myself as she approached.

"Oh really now?" She then started digging inside one of her pockets, humming a tune that sounded cheerful and upbeat but aged. Who was this woman? I'm pretty sure that even fictional characters have the common sense to not talk to strangers. After a while, she seemed to have found what she was looking for, which was a folded old-looking piece of paper. "Here you go."

Now tell me, what would I get out of this whole situation? I was thinking 'nothing' because this may just be a con that people pull on other people who are new to the kingdom. But I'm not new to the kingdom. I'm a real person having a slight delusion after being struck by lightning. That's what happens when you get struck by lightning. But something was telling me to humor this old woman, so I took the paper and unfolded it. What it was came as a shock to me.

"A ticket to '_I Want to be Your Canary_'?" My voice sounded like I should be offended, but happy. Then, I thought what if this was a con. "What's the catch?"

"Answer me this the next time we meet," The old woman got up close to my face, making me see the tied bun if white hair underneath the hood and the gray eyes that were now staring into the very essence of my soul. "What are you looking for?" She stayed like that for a few seconds before turning and walking away.

What the hell was that? She just hands me a ticket to the play, tells me a riddle and simply runs off. I mean, what is up with that? I think it's not only me who is crazy today. But, with this wonderful ticket I now have a way into the play and catch up to the black mage. I guess that's what I should do next. Next stop, the Ticketmaster.


	3. A Front Row Seat

Of Lies and Fantasies

Chapter 2: A Front Row Seat…

Right after the peculiar events I have experienced in the past thirty minutes, I proceeded to the town square where the Ticket Master was located. That was a prerequisite for people who wanted to see the play, right? Of course, my next act was to ask for directions seeing that I was lost in a town, or kingdom, I did not know like the back of my hand unlike certain individuals who lived here.

Asking someone with authority in these streets would be ideal, right? No! After what happened with me and a certain bulking behemoth that resulted in a chase around town, I preferred to avoid any helmeted soldiers unless it was necessary. I needed to hurry for I was losing daylight. So like any desperate man looking for help, I begged anyone who passed me by for directions. Someone is bound to tell me something.

Someone did. It took a pretty long time too. Often during this little scenario, I was mistaken for something else that I didn't mean to be interpreted out of it. I was perceived as a beggar who has gone delirious multiple times, someone who just got fired and started drinking early in the morning a few times, and once as someone trying to come on to them. This woman, an actual female human for a change, had the nerve to slap me hard enough to spin me around and hit my face on a pole being dangerously carried by a rushing mechanic. Damn near broke my nose. Though, he did tell people to be careful numerous times.

When I did find someone who didn't interpret my approach as one of the above, a man who was part rhino kindly pointed me to the right direction, or directions seeing that what he told me were a literal description of directions from a treasure map. I thanked him and went on my way.

"Town Square should be right around…here!" I said as I rounded the corner. And there it was, an archway of two towering clocks was welcoming me to the center of the kingdom. A large tent stood at the center of it with the word 'TICKET' presented on top of it, indicating the Ticket Master's location. The surrounding buildings were as what you would expect in a place set in a European medieval fantasy. An inn was located to the left of the tent, a flower shop right next to the archway and the item and weapon shop conveniently seen next to it were the ones I immediately recognized. Before I could gander more at the scenery, a duo of Alexandrian soldiers prompted me to hurry to the Ticket Master.

"Can I help you, son?" Those were the exact words he said to Vivi in the game, if I remember correctly. The Ticket Master was another humanoid person, this time being a part-wolf with a chubby and cheery disposition. "Is there something the matter?" He caught me staring at him blankly. His question, along with the tapping of the glass, snapped me from my stares.

"I'm sorry." I embarrassingly apologized. "A lot of things just happened to me today."

"No worries then. Today will be a pretty hectic day from what I've observed." The Ticket Master said. "A lot of people came from around the continent to wish our Princess a happy sixteenth birthday."

"Yeah, sure is."

"Speaking of people around the continent, you look like you're not from here." He leaned on the small counter underneath the glass that was dividing him and me. "Tell me, son. Where do you hail from?"

Well, it is obvious that I don't look like I was from here, but what do I say? 'I'm from the real world called Earth' would earn me a one way ticket to a loony bin. I may need to choose my words carefully here. "Well, yes actually. I am not from here because…I'm from somewhere else!" Alright, good, good.

"From where exactly?" He rephrased his question. I avoided opening my mouth for a while as I dug into my pockets for my ticket. Maybe I can buy myself some time with it.

"Oh I forgot. Here's my ticket." I put my ticket on the counter, hoping that it would take his mind off of his current question.

"Ah, yes." He examined the ticket first by putting it against a light. Even here they are not big fans of counterfeit materials.

While he was doing that, I was racking my brain on making some elaborate story this old coot would believe. Unfortunately, my brain was having some issues with quick thinking. Without giving myself away, I looked left and right for anything that would help me here. Then I saw something behind the Ticket Master: a written list of other plays that have been presented in Alexandria. It seemed that they were only recently shown here. I read the titles with haste as the Ticket Master was just recording my ticket in and punching it. When he was done, I was smiling to avoid suspicion and took back my ticket.

"Thank you." I said. Maybe if I turned around and walked away, then maybe I can get away without answering. I don't care if that's not being polite or whatever.

"You were going to say something." The Ticket Master said. Curses.

"Oh, that." Alright, here goes. It better be convincing. "My family comes from another continent, somewhere far from here." I began. But that opening premise seemed to surprise the old man.

"From another continent, you say? I thought only a few people lived outside the Mist Continent." The Ticket Master wondered with awe.

"That's what I heard. There are, indeed, a few human people, but there are a lot of mixed breeds." I said. "Where was I? Oh yeah. My parents and sailing. They loved sailing, especially my parents. They even say that they were 'born of the sea'. Crazy, huh?"

"Not as crazy as a lot of things that has happened here, young man."

"Right. Anyway, one day when my father decided to take us all on a big sailing trip. At first, I felt elated that we were going somewhere we have never gone to, but felt a bit of dread when I stepped on the deck. When that first tiny wave rolled under us, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. Of course, my parents thought I was just nervous and continued on. Halfway across the ocean, we got into a horrible storm. We barely survived. We managed to sail to Lindblum, but with barely anything on our backs and pockets. My family managed to come back from that horrible depression as traveling sales— er, merchants, yes, and engineers after a few years. Now I'm a traveling merchant so I can make my father and mother proud."

After that long, winded, deceptive speech, I felt proud of being able to connect a story like that out of titles I barely knew of, and almost out of breath for talking in such a short time. The Ticket Master could only nod with his arms crossed. "That is quite a story, lad. I hope you and your family gets back home."

"I sure hope so too." And with that, I said goodbye and walked away.

"Huh. Some of that sounded familiar." I heard the Ticket Master say to himself while scratching the top of his head. It should be familiar, you old coot. You're standing in front of it. "What was that?"

"What?" I stopped in my tracks, thinking that the Ticket Master was talking to me. When I turned around, he was talking with a couple who were showing their respective tickets. Whatever. I just continued on my way.

Now here's my problem. That one earlier with the story regarding when I was asked by the Ticket Master is not true. It just came up and it had to be dealt with. My real problem now is getting to that play without raising a commotion. I've been pretty unsuccessful doing just that recently and my luck isn't going to change on a single whim.

Those two patrolling Alexandrian soldiers are going to be a problem. Maybe there's something I can use to sneak past them.

"My dear nobles of Treno! Walk this way and we shall get you to your seats!" One of the heralds for the nobles shouted over the group following him. Yes! I can use that group of nobles to get in undetected. Brilliant idea!

As they walked towards the gate, I blended in from the back, entering the group slowly until I was secured in the middle where neither knight nor soldier would notice me. I ignored the mumbling and hushed rich talk when I walked in, some of them insulting my choice of clothing and my overall look. Hey, some people from where I come from consider this a very fashionable look. Anyway, as the group of nobles was entering the gate, someone didn't like my presence in the group and decided to remedy it by tripping and pushing me out. I landed perfectly on my butt and in front of the two guards just as they were about to close the gate.

"Hey!" One of them shouted. Dammit.

"I have a ticket!" I said, putting up my hands in surrender like a common criminal begging for the cops to not shoot him. "Don't execute me! I swear it was an accident! He started it!"

The two soldiers looked at me, bewildered at my dubious confession. The other approached me, surprisingly without her sword drawn, and helped me up. "I'm sorry. My comrade here is a little tightly wound up lately."

"I have a right to be." The one who shouted replied. "Some guy led almost a quarter of the kingdom's soldiers in a wild goose chase." Oh crap. "Sure we got one guy, but he said that he was going after someone else, the actual guy who started it." She then got so close to me that she was invading my personal space. "Have you seen him?"

"Now, now, let's not scare the civilians." The other soldier pulled her comrade away from me before I could start begging for a lighter sentence other than execution. "It's been a hectic day and I just want it to be over."

"Yeah, me too." I said nervously. We stood there silent for a moment, me mostly being because that other soldier could probably arrest me then and there for remembering me. Fortunately, she just keeps looking back at me with a glare aimed towards me with each time getting deadlier and deadlier. The other one was preoccupied by something else going on in her head. I would have been glad to just stand there all day doing nothing, aside from pacing back and forth like a common minion, but I don't have the time in the world to be doing that. So I tapped the nicer soldier on the shoulder, breaking her away from her own thoughts. "Can I go in? I have a ticket."

I showed her my ticket, which she looked at closely, and nodding. "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I'll let you in now." She opened the gate, which I failed to observe had closed during our little 'conversation'. Before I could get in, the other soldier grabbed me by the injured arm, making me wince a bit.

"If you see that guy in there, rush back here and tell me." Her eyes gleamed with a passion with intentions I don't want to ever visualize.

"Don't worry. You'll be the first one to hear about it." With that, I got past the gate and into an audience filled with nobles. Okay, where are the ordinary people sitting at? The harder I looked for it, the more I realized that there wasn't one. Everyone here was either nobles or someone with fancy looking clothes and I had to deal with it. I was pretty sure that there was one noble here who wasn't glad to see and I bet he/she tripped me.

Whatever. I spotted an empty seat near the aisle and it had a wonderful view of the airship's front, which would soon become the stage for _I Want to be Your Canary_ and after that the beginning for a chaotic night. There was a small pamphlet on the chair with the name "Meguro" on it. Odd name, but I assume that it belongs to the woman who handed me her ticket.

From where I was seated, a 270 degree turn of the head to the left and a bit more upwards could let you see where Queen Brahne and Princess Garnet were seated. Her long, depressed face was identifiable even at that distance, and so is the hideousness of the queen. Just looking at her makes me shudder. Right beside me was a lady around my age, beaming with excitement evidently shown by a smile. It was annoying seeing someone like that. I mean, nobody could that be really happy even if you were living in a virtual world without you knowing. Such positivity at that proximity was draining my strength.

With a growl, I turned away from the girl and paid attention to my front. The lights started to dim and everyone around was starting to quiet down. A few moments passed in silence, a cough here and a sneeze there didn't affect the atmosphere. Then, if I remember correctly, the Captain of the Pluto Knights raised his sword to the heavens and signaled for the opening.

The stage brightened with fireworks that shot up into the sky with a straight gold light while the same colored pyrotechnics rained down on the stage while the ship's little orchestra played a bit of fanfare to accompany the display. The nobles in my area, alongside with the other viewers sitting at their roofs and other places, were applauding the wonderful gesture made for the princess's celebration. All that was missing now was someone to start up The Wave.

I've seen this part of the game numerous times whenever I start a new game and seeing it live in person makes all those other times seem like irrelevant, almost like you attend a concert and hear the most replayed song in your music player being played. This made me genuinely smile and I don't smile easily because I'm always irritated.

As Baku, the leader of Tantalus dressed for the role of King Leo, began opening the play with an introduction to the play, a thought came across my mind: what do I do next? I've stumbled into this seat because of a woman who was feeling generous and I still have no idea what her riddle was all about. Even I'm unsure what my goal is. Everything that has happened to me from waking up in Alexandria to watching my first play with a crowd of rich people felt very odd, so odd that other people would be even glad to be here. But me, I'm not feeling it. Something here isn't right.

-FF FF FF-

I tried to forget that odd feeling I got as the play progressed. Eventually, I did and it helped shift the focus back to the play that was supposed to be entertaining me until everything starts to go crazy.

For what it was worth, I was enjoying the show. The battle of Marcus' crew with King Leo and his two gas-masked henchmen were exciting to watch for a play's standard. I don't know what that standard is since this is my first time in a play, but as I'm sure it could be worse. Pyrotechnics and special effects were used effectively during some parts, especially the fight scene, which made those parts flashier.

The duel between Zidane and Blank afterwards was much more entertaining than its command-based predecessor in the game. Seeing it done almost spontaneously and well-timed made me want to throw money at them after they were done, only to be reminded that I didn't have anything on my person aside from my cast and my clothes.

Everything is fine as the play went on. I think I got TOO into it in one scene when I shouted in favor of Marcus while King Leo was doing his monologue, which caused great amounts of embarrassing shushed comments from the other viewers. An Alexandrian soldier, the nicer one from the gate, warned me to never do it again or she'll throw me out. I'm pretty sure I'm not the first one to do such a thing, but maybe it is because today is the celebration for Princess Garnet. Everyone must have been way too high strung today just to impress her.

Plus that beard Baku has on along with that outfit makes me think of him as an ancestor of the Burger King. It made me want to laugh when I realized it, but stifled it because I don't want to be dragged out of the play.

Anyway, the play was nearing the point of Marcus being caught by King Leo and the whole play would degrade from there. I was too busy watching the skies for any flying or rope-swinging important protagonists to notice that the lady beside me has been looking at me quite oddly.

"Is something the matter?" She asked, her voice thick with an accent that my brain would register as generally British.

"Nothing. Just watch your play. I'm not distracting you, am I?"

"Your actions are quite disturbing actually." I turned to her, irritated that she said what I just heard.

"So looking at the stars is the current standard for disturbing?" I asked rhetorically before continuing looking up. Then I saw some movement up on one of the towers of the castle; a white hooded figure standing on the edge before slipping away by falling down with her back to the ground. Of course, she hung onto a wire and was now swinging towards the stage roof. She was followed by a certain yellow-tailed person, who managed to land safely at the same spot, and an armor-clad gentleman, who smashed against one of the tall structures of the airship.

That was definitely Princess Garnet, Zidane and Steiner respectively. You could hear the orchestra get a little off the rails for a moment before getting back in the groove all because of the princess. Everything has been going as the game's actual events happened. Hopefully nothing throws everything off the rails like earlier. As for any plan that I could possibly have, I'll just play along and go with the main party until I wake up. This is just a dream after all.

"Did you know that would happen?" To my surprise, the lady beside me had caught a glimpse of the three flying individuals just as I did. Heh. Maybe I should mess with her a bit.

"Yes. Yes I did." I said with a grin. "I can foretell the future." I waved my hands theatrically, despite not having any previous acting lessons, to emphasize my 'abilities'.

"Really?" Her eyes went wide like cookies. "What do you see in the future?" I could see that her interest was now invested in me.

"Let me see." I closed my eyes momentarily before opening them and looking deep into the woman's eyes. "There will be chaos soon. The Princess will be kidnapped. Madness will befall the queen." I whispered to her since I only wanted to mess with her not the entire population. She gasped, really showing that she believes what I just said. "But I suggest you do not reveal this information to anyone else. You don't want to be called crazy."

"Yes. Definitely." She sounded almost shaken by the revelation of the future. True, I didn't lie, but the truth has a lot of varying effects on people. With that she turned back to the play and did not bother me anymore. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get a girl to ignore you. Thank you for the applause.

Soon, the main protagonists of the game will pop up into the stage after fighting Steiner below the deck and distracting him with oglops. That is the main attraction, the main event that I'm looking for. I looked behind me over the rows of nobles deeply paying attention to the play, searching for two out-of-place individuals in the crowd, not that I'm not out of place. Right behind the farthest row stood two little boys who snuck in through the castle walls: A little brown rat with an orange helmet-like thing on his head and a little child with a distinctive pointy hat, Puck and Vivi respectively.

Good. They are in position. Now I have to just wait for the nearing finale of the play, then I'd run up to the stage and join them before it flies off to the horizon.

There's only one problem with that: I don't have a clear reason for getting on the airship. Sure, Vivi didn't plan on getting on but he only got there because he was being chased by Pluto Knights. What do I have? A cover story put together using various play titles. Really, no actual reason. 'Hey I'm a traveling merchant and I just wanted to catch a ride! I hope you don't mind.' That is not going to go well. It is too farfetched for any person to believe. Anyone willing to suspend their disbelief would punch me in the face upon hearing such a pathetic excuse. This is bad. I'm having a crisis. Having an excuse to get on is critical because I'm bound to be asked why.

No, let's not panic. I have time. I'll just think of one before anything else happens. No trouble, right?

Just clear my mind. Something is bound to come up in my head and I'll just expand on that idea when it comes. Right now, let's just chill out, watch the play and try not to freak out anymore nobles with our knowledge of future events.

The play was at its fifth scene where Marcus is standing alone at dawn, waiting for his beloved to arrive so they may escape King Leo and love each other forever somewhere else. As he waits, Cinna's character, which I am not sure whether it is actually named Cinna or unknown, tries to convince him to leave for their ship is about to set sail. Their use of long words and Shakespearean-time vocabulary just got grating. The only thing they need now is to rhyme and/or speak in a set amount of syllables.

Anyway, Cinna exits the stage after informing him that their ship has sailed away, their only way of escape now gone Marcus stand there contemplating whether Princess Cornelia had lied. He peps himself up with long words towards the twin moons and prepares to infiltrate King Leo's castle.

And of course, he was caught.

The captured Marcus was dragged in front of the tyrannical king, who just finished proudly gloating to himself that the ownership of Prince Schneider's kingdom would be his once his daughter is forcefully wed to the prince even before it has happened. It must be pretty enjoyable to be so smug and hungry for power. I'd like to try that once before I pass away.

And side note, he just rhymed three consecutive times and two of those shared the number of syllables. That just completed my Shakespearean checklist.

"Furthermore!" King Leo tried to continue his gloating after telling Marcus that he would die by losing his neck to an axe, only to be interrupted by a pair of run-ins thanks to Zidane, Garnet dressed in a white hood, and Steiner. Zidane didn't seem fazed by this as he already had a plan in mind. Garnet was surprised to be even on stage, but not as much as Steiner, who looked lost and confused by the result of this chase.

I could hear the crowd of nobles around me whispering a bit about this. Some of them pointed out that actress of Princess Cornelia were different than earlier. At least they had the attention span for that. I could see the two trespassing characters moving from their previous spot to somewhere closer. Just a little bit more before I have to jump in there and I still have no excuse. No matter! I shall overcome this.

The characters on stage resumed the play with some impromptu changes, Marcus and Cornelia now reunited while King Leo insisted that he will never give them his blessing to wed. Steiner, the impromptu actor of Schneider, could only look around like a lost child, and responded with astonishment when talked to.

A small fight scene commences between Zidane and Marcus going against Zenero and Benero, who were defeated easily and retreated, leaving their king all alone.

"Pray sweet daughter, come home to the castle with me." King Leo begged his daughter.

"Nay Father! I shan't return," came was Garnet/Cornelia's reply.

"Cornelia…Trouble me no more. This wedding is for thine own welfare. Be mindful of that." King Leo desperately wanted to have his daughter at his side, but his attempts were stopped by Marcus.

"Not if I can help it! Now is my moment of vengeance! For my parents, and for my love, Cornelia…" He drew his sword and pointed it to the antagonist in front of him. "I shall cut thee down!"

With weapon in hand, he charged at the villainous king and was about to end his life then and there with one heroic stab, but irony walked into his sword's direction in the form of Princess Cornelia. She took the hit for her father, even though he was a tyrant he was still the father who loved her and she didn't want him to die. She lay in Marcus's arms as she draws her last breath the same way Jesus died in His mother's arms. There were cries of anguish between the characters, especially Cornelia's beloved. With the blood of Cornelia on his hands and the thought of never hearing or feeling Cornelia ever again, he directed his own sword towards him and ended his life with one thrust. Steiner's enforced method acting made the scene more emotional.

From what I could tell, Puck and Vivi were moved by the performance of the theatre group, and so was Queen Brahne. She was crying so hard that I thought waterfalls were going to start flowing through her eyes. From the far left were two Pluto Knights who looked like they accidentally saw the recent turn of events and saw two young perpetrators. Maybe Vivi should left with his phony ticket instead of trespassing.

That was when it all began.

What happened next was Vivi, abandoned by Puck, got forced to jump onstage and told the knights to back off with his fire magic, accidentally burning Princess Garnet's white hood, which caused her to shed it after jumping up and dancing because of the heat. Then I began to notice that the third hatch from below the stage opened. This happened while The Captain, who just recently broke out of his distracted trance by the recent turn of events, demand that the 'kidnappers' hand over the princess with the help of the two newly arrived Pluto Knights.

They were about to throw down when it happened, the final hatch came up showing a girl with brown hair around the age range of a developed teenager dressed in a white shirt and blue overalls. She looked wide-eyed in surprise as the two forces stopped charging when she came up.

I could see her mouth move from where I was. "Uh…oh."

This is where everything goes crazy.


	4. For The Ensuing Carnage

Of Lies and Fantasies

Chapter 3: …For the Ensuing Carnage

"Aha! Another criminal in cahoots with this act! I shall see to it that all of you are arrested." Steiner shouted.

If everyone forgot what had just happened, let me remind you. Everything had been going as planned by canon. From the three protagonists swinging to the airship from above to the point where they interrupt the play by abruptly appearing via a platform from below the Prima Vista that could be accessed only from the engine room. Then that was when everything got off the rails.

That girl that just appeared just now… This wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to be there! That girl is not supposed to be there!

And something about her seems familiar.

"Help!" The girl cried. She sounded familiar too.

Then it hit me. It was the girl I was last with before the lightning struck me: Alyssa…uh…whatshername. What the hell was she doing there?

Hold the phone! This is my chance! This is the excuse I have been looking for! And to think nobody out here was looking out for me. Oh sweet merciful heaven now I can go on.

Before Steiner or his knights could do anything, Zidane, like the hero he is, stood between the knights and Alyssa. Princess Garnet helped up Alyssa while Steiner demanded that they surrender. Of course, they responded as you'd think. Zidane and Marcus pulled out their weapons, Garnet simply stating that he is too stubborn to understand, and Vivi, not knowing what is happening, hesitantly standing at the sidelines of the ensuing fight.

"Oh no. This is it." The lady to my left said, abruptly standing and pointing to the airship. "Our safety is in danger! Everyone flee! Flee!" I guess I kind of overdid it. She ran past me, up the aisle and out of the gate even before the guards could figure out what she was babbling about.

Before I could act, I could feel a hand gripping my shoulder like a vise. This made me grab the hand and attempt to squirm my way out. I managed to get out of my seat in the ensuing struggle, but came face to face with the pointed edge of a sword.

Its wielder was one of the female Alexandrian soldiers from the gate. The other nicer one stood behind her, her hand near the hilt of her own sword, ready to react if the situation changes. The two were armed and I am not, so I had to put up my hands in surrender, trying to convey the message that I do not have anything on me.

"You know there was one thing the other guy we arrested blabbered about while we dragged him away," She said as she adjusted her sword so it was centimeters away from my nose. She looked down, her sword flowing suit before stopping at my chest. "He mentioned that the other perpetrator was wearing something hanging from his neck that was of the color red." She fortunately put her sword away, but grabbed my red tie and pulled harshly.

"Please, I didn't mean to start it." I gasped as she pulled again. "It was an…ack…an accident."

"Spare me your lies. You lied to our faces a few hours ago and now you're still lying." She grinned when she brought my face close enough to her eyes under her helmet. A pair of icy cold blue eyes looked back at me accompanied by a contemptuous grin. "I'm going to enjoy whipping you upside down in the castle dungeons."

"Whipping!?" I yelped when she pulled on my tie again.

"Isn't that going a bit too far?" Her compatriot asked, trying to pull her away, only to be shrugged back.

"Citizens should learn how to respect authority. If they don't, then everything established by the people in power will collapse."

"Look, before you go raving about power and order and how justice should be maintained, maybe you can – ACK!" The soldier interrupted me once again by pulling my tie.

"SILENCE!" She now decided to embody police brutality by smacking me on the back of my head. There were some gasps from the crowd of Treno nobles when they saw this and they got a cold glare from the soldier in return. Does she know that what she's doing is illegal in some countries? "I know. And no one saw a damn thing."

"What in the hell are you –"

"No one saw anything. NOT. A DAMN. THING." She emphasized each final word with punctuation and a push. She looked around at the nobles around her, glowering at them briefly just to make sure they got the message. "Now walk!"

As I walked under the might of this oppressive soldier, I could see some looks of disappointment and outrage aimed towards her, one of those belonging from her fellow soldier. I looked over my shoulder to see what was happening now on stage. The airship was still there, the Pluto Knights and the Tantalus kidnappers plus their "hostage", Vivi and Alyssa were fighting it out, well except for Alyssa because she was unarmed. Though, I did see her constantly dodge under one of the knights' attacks until to the point that she slapped one of them. I guess that didn't help. I need to get away from this crazy chick here and onto that airship.

I got it! "Hey look! Someone is being mugged!"

"Where!? I'll make sure they'll hang!" This woman's pursuit of justice is a little skewed, but it's something I could take advantage of. With her quickly looking around for this 'perpetrator' I managed to slink away from her by kicking her in the shin and run towards the airship.

"Halt!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. I jumped the velvet rope dividing the nobles from the pathway where Zidane and Blank dueled and kept running. I looked behind me and saw that the girl who intended to arrest and whip me upside-down was rushing down to where I was. Crap.

I quickly got up the ramp as I noticed that the airship was starting to move away. With the soldier easily closing the gap between us, an idea struck me and it came to physical form by me kicking the ramp off the edge, cutting loose any route she had onto the bridge as the airship started to depart.

"Sorry, girls!" I grinned with a sarcastic salute. "I have a flight to—" Just when I thought that my luck was beginning to change, the female soldier just jumped over the gap and managed to clear it, but just barely by grabbing onto the ledge. "—catch?"

Just when I was backing up, I tripped over a stage prop that has fallen off during the airship's ascension and hit my back on something metal. The problem was that this metal thing was being worn on someone else's torso and it felt the impact. "What the—? Another one?" The Pluto Knight, I think it was Weimar, turned around and pointed his sword at me.

"Okay. I think we've gotten on the wrong foot here. I am not with them." I explained to the good Pluto Knight. "I just saw—"

"LIES!" I heard someone exclaim behind me. It was that soldier again. Damn it, why can't she get the hint? She climbed up on the stage, breathing hard at her efforts. "You will not escape, not without punishment."

"I don't need punishment. You do, you crazy bitch!" That only resulted in the two of them pointing their swords at me.

"You do not talk to a lady like that." Weimar said, looking over to the other soldier. His words seemed lost on the girl. All she wanted for today was catch the guy who made a ruckus on the Princess's birthday and that was what she was going to get.

I raised my hands defensively while taking a few steps back. "Okay, I think I worded that out incorrectly. What I meant to say was we don't have to fight." I looked at the two, hoping that they would reconsider this whole situation, but they just looked at each other and back at me, now more alert. The two had me cornered as I had no more space to back up into. These two were going to serve my head to the queen on a platter, though I doubt she'd care with all the hostile takeovers she'll be planning to do occupying her time. I guess I have no choice other than using my last resort.

"I really don't want to do this, but here goes." At a drop of a hat, I got down on my knees, put my hands together and shook them continuously. "Don't arrest me! I'm just a traveling merchant! I don't have any money! Arrest them! I'm not with them!"

"What the—?" Weimar didn't know how to react. I bet nobody has begged as desperately as me in his time as a Pluto Knight. Even the soldier girl was rather surprised as a result of my actions. I could feel that the edges of their swords lowered from my face as they contemplated what to do next.

While they stood there gathering their thoughts, I looked over to the main fight at the center of the stage. It actually became a duel between two people: the Pluto Knights and the Tantalus thieves. Garnet and Vivi were standing near the small constructed castle, holding on hard while the ship ascended into the air. Wait. Where's Alyssa?

"Begging won't stop justice from –…" Before she could even finish that statement, a piece of wood pulled from the stage floor knocked against her head with a mighty swing. Weimar jumped upon hearing the impact and seeing a girl wielding the improvised 2x4 over his unconscious compatriot.

It was Alyssa. "I suggest you put your sword down," said my savior.

"Let me help you with that." I said as I swiftly rearranged his jewels with a left-handed punch. I swear my wrist felt loose after connecting with that. That loosened his grip on his weapon and made him kneel in pain. "I'll be taking that, thank you very much." I took his sword by the hilt and tried lifting it up, only to be overwhelmed by its weight. "What the hell? Is this a sword or a two-hundred pound wrestler?" It must be because I'm just using one hand, but dear GOD it was still difficult to lift up.

"Blake!" I was so distracted by my attempt of lifting a simple sword that I temporarily forgot about the girl who saved me and the excuse I only had to get on this airship. Weimar silently left the scene, jumping off the stage to a nearest roof and thankfully making it. It would be horrible if he were to die in an accident when he is not supposed to die. Anyway, Alyssa put her arms around me as tight as an anaconda would to its victim before devouring it. "Blake! Thank goodness I finally found someone I recognize!"

"Yeah, thank goodness for me." I said. I wasn't able to continue those words for what was going to happen next. "Why are you wearing overalls?"

She could only chuckle embarrassingly. "…Long story."

Looking around as I pushed her away from me, Steiner and Hagen were wavering, Garnet had just stepped up by healing the two with a Cure spell while Vivi was still considering on entering the fray, and the other young knight had just been struck down by Marcus. He stood over the downed knight, who then decided that discretion is the better part of valor and made a poor excuse about a date before scrambling away forgetting his own weapon.

Steiner looked on in shock as now he had been betrayed by two of his own knights. It was now three on one, two clever thieves and a princess going against a trained knight in the arts of swordsmanship. On paper, Steiner would beat them flat, but he was on their turf, one that was trying to escape.

Speaking of escaping…

We have temporarily forgotten about the queen down below and her rallying forces. She had assembled her army's cannons at the side of the castle and commanded to fire. Queen Brahne didn't care about the only two people that are important to her kingdom being on the retreating airship, only the one piece of accessory her daughter had on her. She doesn't care whether she had to get Garnet back alive or get it off her corpse, just getting it mattered.

The cannons fired and shot out harpoons towards the airship that were supposed to pull them back in. The harpoons landed at various locations on the airship like the stage, the hull of the ship, the sides and I think one got stuck on the back. It was partially working with the only problem being that it was a lot more powerful because it had an engine and was probably around half the size of Alexandria's castle.

One of the harpoons fired upon us came close to impaling Alyssa and I if it wasn't for her reflexes. She took me by the collar and pulled me away from the very spot the harpoon would land on, causing me to fall on my butt. I just sat there amazed that I was still alive.

You know what I wasn't amazed to see: The soldier trying to arrest me still trying to arrest me.

"Alright! That is enough! I don't care if I have to drag you out of the wreck this airship will become or not, I AM PUTTING YOU UNDER ARREST!" She stomped her foot and drew her sword once again. Can someone just push her overboard? I'm getting tired of this.

The harpoon cannons then decided to yank of its prey some more, making the airship suddenly shift, causing everyone on it to stumble and fall. That went the same for me and Alyssa, especially Alyssa because she stumbled to the far side of the stage towards the soldier, accidentally knocking her aside and almost caused her to go over. She struggled with her balance for a bit, teetering back and forth continuously, her sword already thrown overboard as she tried to maintain stable footing.

Of course, as irritating this was to me, this girl had to be gone now. I had to get rid of her. So I quickly got up to my feet and pushed her off the stage and the airship effectively. I laughed as I looked down and saw her body plummet down to the body of water separating the castle and the town below. "Who's going to arrest me now? Nobody!" I continued to laugh, glad that the woman cannot bother me anymore. She has been on my case since I got into the play and now it was just satisfying to see her drop away like a rock.

I turned around and fully realized that the fight had paused because of the queen's efforts to stop the kidnappers from escaping. Unfortunately, the only guy providing opposition for the protagonists saw me push the soldier overboard. That meant he saw me laughing at the girl who could have been presumed dead. That meant I just did something VERY wrong.

Crap.

"You! Surrender at once, you murderous coward!" Steiner yelled from the far side of the stage. And here I was hoping that I wouldn't gain more negative publicity than I already have.

"I'm not a coward! She was harassing me!" I yelled back.

"Nevertheless," The Captain straightened his stance just as everyone was recovering. "I will bring back the princess and every single person associated with this crime will be imprisoned."

Alyssa stood right beside me, defiant of Steiner's promise. Zidane, Marcus, Garnet and Vivi stood against the knight, prompting Alyssa to join their ranks, effectively dragging me alongside her much to my enjoyment. I use that term very loosely.

"Who are you guys?" Zidane promptly asked the two of us.

"Blake R. Skylark." I replied. "She's Alyssa…er….something. I don't know her last name."

"Forsyth," Alyssa properly added. "Alyssa Forsyth."

"Forsyth? Really?" I turned to her with just a bit of annoyance written on my face. "Your parents really hated vowels, huh?"

"Look out!" Marcus said, kicking me back to the scenario. I saw Steiner rushing towards me, someone he thinks is more dangerous than two kidnappers because I just accidentally pushed a girl off 20 feet to her (probable) death. I ducked, scrambling away from the captain as fast as I can, as the others jumped back. He stalked me with that giant sword of his as if I was wounded bird. His sword probably seems big because I'm looking at it at an angle.

"Maybe we can talk this out," I tried the easy way, only to have it thrown back to my face when Steiner brought down his sword right where I was a millisecond ago. "Okay, maybe not talk. I know who their boss is. You can arrest THEM, but I get a bit of credit. Deal?"

"Blake!" I heard Alyssa shout, alarmed that I was ready to sell out the group the main protagonist belonged to even before the game's ten minute mark.

"I will never deal with criminals." He stated as he brought down his sword with a downward arc. How is he going to arrest anyone when he is absolutely doing his best to kill his suspects!? Seriously, does anyone here even have rights?

Zidane came swooping down from the top of the fake castle in the backdrop, kicking Steiner in the chest and effectively putting him off my tail momentarily and onto his. Get it? He has a tail and now he's being targeted –Ah screw it.

I ran towards the sword left by Weimar, who has already fled probably to nurse his injured crotch. I tried once again to lift the sword and was once again met with the difficulty of its weight.

"Goddamn this is freaking heavy," I mumbled to myself as I tried numerous ways to get the sword above waist level. Now I'm really regretting even coming onboard when I can't even get a something as simple as a sword up. Why does that sound somewhat sexually perverse and wrong at the same time? Whatever. I didn't care about the chaos happening around me as the Captain of the Pluto Knights dealt with everyone else while the other protagonists, plus Alyssa, were trying their darnest to play defensive.

Then Queen Brahne unleashed the freaking Bomb.

"You have got to be kidding me…." I muttered as I saw the red ball of fire head straight for us. Steiner's back was turned towards the castle when the Bomb made its merry way towards the stage. Zidane and the others noticed the newest developing problem immediately. Then I got the sword to stay steady in my hands. "Yes! Finally!" Everyone in the vicinity thankfully ignored my celebration.

"H-Hey! Look out! There's a bomb behind you!" Marcus warned the knight. He frowned at what he interpreted as a ludicrous statement and did the opposite.

"I will not fall for such an old trick!" He said as he tried to strike down the bandana sporting thief, who only blocked his attempt. The two traded slashes and blocks with each other with the knight gaining the upper hand when the growing sight of the bomb distracted Marcus. Steiner jumped towards Marcus with the hope of either knocking him unconscious or knocking his sword away, but Zidane interfered by pulling his buddy out of harm's way.

"Listen, there's a Bomb right behind you!" Zidane tried pointing to where the Bomb was floating.

"Please Steiner, behind you!" Garnet urged the knight. Of course, Steiner's loyalty was bound only to Alexandria and the royal family so he had nothing to lose when he took the princess's word and turned. But when he took a look behind him, the Bomb floated away from Steiner's line of sight by circling above him. What the—!? That is not supposed to happen. This trickery made the captain furious.

"Agh! You will pay for your treachery!" He pointed his sword to the blond thief to his right. He's the stupid one who fell for it and he had the gall to blame it on someone else. What an idiot. "What did you say!?" He was now looking at me. Crap. Did he just hear that?

"He did." Alyssa answered for me. "Think fast!" I turned to the source of the rushing grunts of Steiner and tried to block his attack with the sword in my hand being supported by my casted hand, but he effortlessly made it fly into the air with one swipe.

"Best two out of three?" I suggested, holding my hands up in surrender, but to no avail. Alyssa then came to my rescue by standing between him and me. "Or fight a girl. As long as it's not me."

"Move aside young lady or I will be forced to take you in along with these criminals." Steiner said lowering his sword for a moment, but went put it back up when he saw that she was armed. "Drop your weapon or I will be forced to take action."

Alyssa did not falter when the threat was issued. "You either turn around or you go through me." Wow. And here I thought she was just going to be useless. "B-Blake! I'm helping you and right now I don't need you thinking I'm useless."

"Very well, miss. Prepare to —" Steiner wasn't able to finish that last sentence when Alyssa lunged at him quickly making him parry the her incoming thrusts. What is happening here? Where the hell did she learn how to fight? Even Zidane and Garnet were taken by surprise by this. Vivi looked on in amazement while Marcus was busy eyeing the Bomb floating above. Steiner was obviously not prepared on handling a teenager who could handle herself in sword fighting. Alyssa gripped the sword with both hands and followed each slash with another, her stance constantly moving in to close the distance between her and the captain.

"Please stop!" Alyssa pleaded to the Captain. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Stop resisting!" That was Steiner's answer. Alyssa didn't look like she was surrendering anytime soon.

Her sword was being operated by such grace with two hands that by itself was impressive to the point of showing off. That's just from my point of view. She's not exactly showing off. You get my point.

It would only take a slight mistake for Steiner to regain control of the fight. Alyssa went for a lunge directed to Steiner's left shoulder. He swerved to the right and struck her sword from below with an upward attack that almost made her lose her footing. She recovered, but Steiner had capitalized and taken the upper hand.

Zidane slipped in-between the two, giving Alyssa a break. Steiner was having a harder time of connecting with his strikes on the blond-haired monkey boy with his agility. I could see a mischievous smile forming on the face of Zidane as well as his lips move to form a taunting statement that made Steiner angrier.

"Hey Vi –" Wait. Hold your tongue. I'm not supposed to know Vivi's name. He hasn't introduced himself to me yet. That includes everyone. Almost screwed up there. "You!" I tried getting the black mage's attention with my shouts and eventually did. He turned his head and tilted his head as if confused that I was talking to him. "Can you help them? They look like they're in trouble."

"Um… I'll try." Vivi squeaked out.

Asking for help from one of the most powerful characters in the game might have been my smartest decision so far, but that only led to my dumbest decision: trying to get across the battle ensuing in the middle. Unfortunately, that help would not be needed after all. Zidane and Steiner were beginning to tire each other out, Alyssa was still trying to catch her breath and Marcus kept shouting at the Bomb for no apparent reason. Maybe he was trying to attract its attention, I don't know. It did grow in two sizes bigger. Anyway, I tried approaching the area Vivi was standing at which happened to be near where Garnet was. That sight of me walking up to the princess incensed the captain of the Pluto Knights, making him change targets.

I only see him approach from the corner of my eye, but it was too late by that point. Steiner had his sword up and was one stroke away from bringing it down on me. What saved me was the Vivi's black magic. In a state of panic, he casted Fire on the knight's armor that made him stop his attack and attempt to put himself out.

Fortunately, Marcus succeeded in attracting the Bomb's interest. As I was tackled by the knight in allegedly rusty armor, he looked up and saw the Bomb looking at him with a great smirk. "No, stay away!" He was swinging his sword at it, trying to swat it or make it go away. No matter how hard he swung, he didn't connect with any of it.

I was dragged away from it by Alyssa, who pulled me up on my feet and proceeded to push me into a corner covered by the fake castle. "Get ready. It's going to blow up," she told me in an unsteady breath.

I was going to say something in the lines of pointing out the obviousness of our current situation, but an explosion cut me off before I could form the words. The sudden fiery hot wave blew me and Alyssa into the wall I could feel that left me breathless upon impact. My back hurt in a lot of places and I feel like I walked in a desert for forty days and nights.

With the Bomb detonating, that meant that the chains attached to the implant harpoons were mostly decimated by the blast which gave the airship a means of escape.

I pulled my head up once we cleared the city gates. I saw everyone who was caught in the blast to be either unconscious or coughing out smoke. Zidane was struggling at getting up, Garnet held onto one of the harpoons as she saw her kingdom slowly fade into the horizon; Marcus, Steiner and Vivi looked like they were out of it. I guess they were in the closest proximity of the explosion and suffered the most damage. At least Garnet thought of giving the three a Cure, which made them stir. Alyssa was also knocked out right behind me. I was going to ask Garnet for some help, but instead I opted to let her rest. She's gonna need it.

From what I know is going to happen next, we all need the rest.


End file.
